Trench roller



May'z, 1933- L. E. vDAuERxrrAl. 1,906,547

TRENCH ROLLER Filed Aug. 15, 1931 s sheets-sheet 1 u May 2, 1933.

Filed Aug. 13, 1931 L. E. DAUER ET AL TRENCH ROLLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENToRs LDU/.5 E. 75L/Ef' fusse/ E. /VaF//Y ATTORNEYS May 2, 1933. 1E. DAUER ET A1. 1,906,547

TRENGH ROLLER Filed Aug. 15, 1931 s sheets-sheet s BY 1171/555!!JI/17H77' Patented May l2, 1933 g UNlTEnIAsTATEs PATENT OFFICE LouisEDAUEII AND RUSSELL B. Noivrn, or MILWAUKEE. WISCONSIN, AssIGNoRs froyGEO. II. SMITH STEEL CASTING coMIfANm'or' MILWAUKEE, wIscoNsIN, Aeon..

` PORATION OFk WISCONSIN e f TRENCH LEOLLEE Application led Ailg'iistV13, 193].. Serial No. 556,742.

roller may be readily and easily raised and kCO loweredl by the powerrof the tractor `for accommodating the roller to the varying depth of thetrench as the roller packs vor tamps the lill in successive layers inthe trench ,and also to be raised completely out of the trench and abovethe level of the ground for moving the machine from place to placewithout interference -orhinderance by the' roller.

. Another object offourinvention is to so Vmount the roller that it isdisposed between the treads of the tractor'so that the tractormaystraddle the trench and when ofthe crawler o r endless tread type .willdistribute its weight along the sides of the trench and avoid cavingk inthe side walls of the same.

Another object of our invention yis to mount the roller in front orahead ofthe tractor so that the operator on the tractor may guide'orsteer the same to much betterfadvantage than should the roller be at therear end of th tractor to be towed. v l,

A further object of our rinvention isto so make the roller that it willhave the weight required for efficiently packing or tampingy a trenchand be usable witha tractor, particularly of the crawler type as anadded Vfixture or attachment.

A further object of our invention is to provide a boom, pivotedon thetractor and extending beyond one end of the same as a support for theroller, whereby the latter may be raised or lowered by raisingorlowering the boom about its pivotal support.v v A further object ofour invention is 'to pro vide a curvedor cambered boom to increase thedepth to which the roller 'may extend into a trench with a given lengthof boom and distance ofthesupports for they boom from the front of thetractor.y

A further object of our invention is to provide a brake device forholding the boom ywith its roller in any of'its elevated or raisedpositions.v

Afurther object of our invention is to pro- Y of QFig. 1;

vide means for `automatically applyingthe vbrake device anddisconnecting the boom from the raising power as soon as the boomreaches a predetermined elevated positlon, as

lthe limit to which the boom may be raised to prevent breakage oftheparts.

The invention consists further in the matters hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 isy a broken away side view of acrawler tractor equipped with a trench roller s in accordance withy vourinvention;

Fig. 2 is a front view ofthe tractor, show# ing the roller in a trench;f

F ig.y 3 is a topl plan View taken on line- 3-,-3

Fig. 4 isa vertical, sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Y

F'g. 5 is a similar sectional view taken on line 5 5 of'Fig. 3; and 1 fFig. 6 shows a modified form of roller. The tractor illustrated inthedrawings isl of` the crawler type, having a suitable power plant 1 atthe front end of the tractor, drivers seat 2 at the rear endV withy thesteering wheel 3 and control levers, to be hereinafter referred to, inbetween. The tractor treads 4, 4in endless form, are arranged at thesides of the device andare suitably connected to the ,power .plant sothat the tractor may be moved about under its own power as in devices ofthis lgeneral character. With the treadfsurfac'e of a width to extendnearlyl the full width of the trenchy to be tamped. The roller has sideplates 8, 8, which are suitably secured tothe tread member 7, as byangle strips 9, asshown in Fig. 2. The roller is made hollow, and togive it the necessary weight for trench tamping, we make it solid Vbyfilling it with a suitable weight producing material` 10. Inpractice,-'w`e fill the roller with a mixture of concrete and metalparticles,such as punchings, the mixture being introduced into theroller through one or more holes 11 in one of the side plates 8 as shownin Figs. 2 and 6. The concrete is allowed tok `boom 12, which as shownin the drawings, consists of a generally U-shape frame extending asubstantial distance beyond the front end of the tractor and having sidemembers 13, 13, which extend back along the sides of the traetor betweenthe treads 4, 4 and frame members 14, 14 included inframeconstruction.Said frame members 14 extend lengthwise of the tractor on opposite sidesthereof and are suitably secured to fixed parts of the tractor structureto be stationary and rigid toform a support for the boom, as well as asupport for upright standards at the front of the tractor for the cablesfor raising and lowering the boom. The rear ends of the side members 13of the boom are pivotally connected to the frame members 14 to the rearof the roller by trunnions 15, the inner ends of which are secured tothe frame members 14 and the outer ends of which are supported bybrackets 16 bolted on the frame members 14.

The greater portion of the roller 6 is located below the boom 12 and isconnected thereto by brackets 17, 17, in the form of plates bolted orotherwise rigidly secured to the side members 13 of the boom andextending below the same in front of the tractor, as shown. These platesare on the outer sides of the ro-ller 6 and enter the trench with theroller, the boom being` wider than the trench, as shown. rFhe bracketscarry adjacent their lower ends a shaft 18 which extends through theroller to provide a support and axis member therefor so that the rollerwhen in contact with the ground or other underlying surface will turnabout said shaft in the movement of the tractor. The roller 6 ispreferably large in diameter and being supported by the brackets wellbelow the boom may enter the trench to substantially the entire diameterof the roller. Thus the roller may reach well into the trench fortamping the initial lill about the pipe or tile 19 laid therein, shownin Fig. 2. A sleeve 20 surrounds the shaft 18 to protect it from thefilling material in the roller. Nuts 21, 21 are provided on the oppositeends of the shaft beyond the plates 17 to clamp the parts in theassembled relation shown, and also to permit removal of the roller forrepair or any other purpose desired.

To raise and lower the roller into and out of the trench, as well aswhen in the same to tamp or pack the ll as it is laid in layers in thetrench, we provide a suitable hoisting mechanism which as shown in thedrawings includes a pair of upright standards 22, 22 on opposite sidesof the tractor at the front of the same and rigidly secured at theirlower ends as by bolts or rivets to the frame members 14, as shown. Thestandards 22 extend above the members 14 to the height desired andprovide a support for a set of grooved pulleys or sheaves 23 over andabout which are trained cables 24, 24, one at each side of the machine.In the lifting and lowering arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one endof each cable is attached to a winch or winding drum 25 on theassociated side of the tractor and at the opposite end to the boomforward of the tractorl as shown. Drums 25 are fixed to the oppositeends of a shaft 26 journaled in brackets or supports 26a secured to theframe members 14 and extending upward therefrom at or adjacent thebrackets 16, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Arranged substantially parallelto shaft 26 is a clutch shaft having normally disconnected alinedsections 27, 28, supported in arms 29 extending rearward from brackets26a. Shaft section 27 is connected to a power take-olf shaft 30 by asprocket or chain wheels 32, 33, on the respective shafts. Shaft section28 is connected to the drum shaft 26 by a chain 34 which engagessprocket or chain Wheels 35, 36 on the respective shafts as shown inFig. 3.

A clutch device is provided for connecting shaft section 28 to anddisconnecting it from shaft section 27 which is continuously rotated bythe motor of the tractor when the motor is in operation. One member 37of the clutch is fixed to shaft section 27, while the other member 38 ofthe clutch is fixed to shaft section 28. For engaging and disengagingmember 38 with member 37, we provide a manually operable mechanism,comprising a collar 39 with one end tapered, slidably mounted on shaftsection 28 and operating fingers 40 which press a series of platesagainst clutch member 38. Collar 39 is shifted by a bell-crank lever 41fulcrumed at 42 on a fixed part of the hoisting structure. A shift rod43 connects the outer end of the long arm of the lever 41 with a handlever 44 fulcrumed between its ends at 45 on an upright 46 and extendingup near the steering wheel 3 to be within reach of the operator of themachine. Rod 43 is connected to the lower end of the lever 44, as shownin Fig. 1. Moving the upper end of lever 44 forward disengages` theclutch 37-38 and releases the drum shaft 26 from the drive of the motor.Moving the lever 44 backward engages the clutch to connect shaft 26 withthe motor for rotating the drums 25 to raise the boom and its roller.Lowering the boom is controlled through a brake device to be presentlydescribed.

Sheaves 23 are iournaled on the opposite ends of a shaft 47 associatedwith a crossmember 48 extending between and connecting the upper ends ofthe standards 22. The latchain 31, the latter engaging over suitable lltter are braced` and connected together -below the cross-member by tierods or bars 49, as shown in Fig. 2. Each cable 24 on'flea'ving its drum25 is trained over the innermost sheave23 of the associate set attheupper enel of the standards, then about a sheave 50 carried by the boom,then over the outermost sheave at the top of the standards, andthen downto the boom, where 'it is connected thereto by a suitable hook-likeVfixture 51. A spring drawntensionsheave 52 is engaged with the lastvmentioned 'strandvof the' cable to tighten'thesame. The spring 53 forythe cabletightener is connected at one end to the boom and at the otherend to Vthe block for the sheave 52. The standard's22-are further bracedby tie rods 54 extending between the brackets 26erl and thel upper endsof the standards as shown in Fig. 1.

The brake device, heretofore referred to, is shown in'Figsj3 and L5. Itcomprises a drum 55 fixed on the section 28 of the clutch shaft andengaged'by a brake'band 56 of suitable friction material..Abell-cran'klever 57 is employed for tightening and loosening the bandon the drum, said lever being keyed or otherwise 'fixed to' a rock shaft58 extending between and journaled in the brackets 26a. As shown in Fig.5, the upper end ofthe band is directly'conne'cted to the short arm ofthe lever 57, while the lower end of the band is connected tothe longkarm of the lever bya bolt 59. Loose on rock-shaft`58 is a fixturehaving a pair of arms 60, 61, extending above and below said shaft.,Lower arm 61 is in the path of movement of rod 43 y where it connectswith bell crank lever 41.'y `A 'rod 62 extends through upper arm `60,'as shown in Fig. 4, there being acoil spring 63 on the rod on the rearside of the arm. Fixed on rock shaft 58 is an up'wardlyextending arm 64,through which extends a rod 65 which is connected to hand lever 44 aboveits'fulcrum 45, as shown in Fig. l. A tube 66 passes through arm 64 onrod 65 and is held in place at each end by nuts 67. The nut at the rearend of the tube forces arme64 forward to release the brake when handlever 44 is pushed forward manually. Rod 62`eXtends toward the front endof the machine above the boom 12 and is connected to the upper `end vofa bell-crank lever 68 fulcrnmed at 69 on one of the'standards 22. Thelower end of said lever has an outwardly projecting pin 70 'in the pathof upward movement lof the boom 12.

In operation, the tractor with its'attached roller 6 when lifted abovethe surface ofthe ground, is run over the ditch yor trenchk to be filledwith the tractor straddling the trench. With a crawler type :of tractorthis can bey trench. After the pipe or tile are laid in `the vbottom ofthe trench and connected for service, a layer of the materialconstitutingl the fill, which may bey the dirt previously kdug from thetrench, is placedon the tile.,` The roller `6 is now lowered into thetrenchl until I" its tread v`surface 7 rests on theefill.y

The

tractor isnow run back andk forthalongthe f length of the trench andtheroller packs or tamps'the fill. Another layer of dirt is placed yinthetrench andthe operation is repeated,

the roller each time being raised to theextent required to .accommodatethel dirt 'layer.

These operations arel repeated. until. the trench is completely filledor filled to the' extent desired, therollerfserving to. pack the trenchwith suflicient .firmness tc. meet all filling requirements.

With the roller mounted infront ofthe tractor, Athe latter may behandled or steeredy `to much better advantage than should they vrollerbe hooked on to the rear of the tractor and towed. The reason for thisis, that the `driver can easilyA seev the roller 4because it .is alwaysin yfront of him and thus he can operate the :machine without being,required to frequently turnaround and'look rearward' or y attempt torun the 'tractor whilesittmg in an awkward reverse position. Thedeviceof y our invention is simple in constructionaand operation andvwilleffectively andeiiciently pack a trench inless time, at lessyexpens'eand produce a firmer fill than by hand tamplng or with any other devicesheretofore devised for "Blades 71, 71v are fixedto the yboom. over thetop surface of the roller to scrape any Aaccumulation' of filling orothermateriallikely to adhere? thereto in the use of the device.

` Whenever theclutch 37-38 is released, .the

`brake 55is automatically applied to hold the roller from lowering fromits elevated position, whereas, whenthe clutch is applied to raisefthe`boomthe brake is automatically released. This is .accomplished in thefollowing manner When'the upper end of the hand lever v44 is movedforward, its lower end is moved' rearward, thereby pulling rod 43rearward to release the clutch. Rod 65 is fmoved forward by the lever,giving arm 64 a like movement and moving rock-shaft 58 rearward on handlever 44engages the clutch `before releasing the brake, due totension of'a spring--57ca attached to lever v57 at oneend `and to the tractor atthe other end, before "arm 64 is moved forward manually to release thebrake. This overlaps the action off the clutch and the brake andprevents dropping c of the boom 12 with its load. l

The clutch and the brake are automatically `moved, rearward, andengaging the end of rod 43 will move it rearward to disengage theclutch. Hand lever 44 will thus be returned to clutch disengagedposition and the brake will be applied and hold the boom with its rollerraised. The action is entirely automatic and will function even thoughthe loperator may have hold of the lever 44. The

brake is of the self wrapping type and will apply rapidly when set inmotion..

Vith the roller 6 weighted, it is essential to counterbalance thisweight and that of the boom by placing a counterweight on the tractor.This is done by providing a counterweight boX 71 on the rear of thetractor. In the arrangement shown in the drawings the roller can belowered in the trench several feetibelow the top surface of the ground.Vith this lowering depth, the machine can be used with trenches deeperby several feet as the pipe and the first layer of dirt or earth usuallytake up a foot or two. The roller can be lifted well above the ground,as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, for moving the machine from place toplace.

The tread surface of the roller 6 could be iatted, as shown in Fig. 6 toenhance the tamping effect of the roller. These flatted surfaces areindicated by 72 in Fig. 6 and are disposed about the circumference ofthe roller.

The details of structure and arrangement of parts shown .and describedmay be variously changed and modified without departing from the spiritand scope of our invention. except as pointed out in the appendedclaim-s We claim as our invention l. In combination with a tractorhaving traction elements for supporting the tractor, of a trench tampingroller in front of the tractor, a boom fulcrumed on the tractor to therear of the roller, said boom extending a substantial distance beyondthe front of the tractor, roller supporting means mounted on the boom infront of the tractor and connecting the roller to the boom, said meansbeing disposed to enter the trench with the roller and'extending belowthe boom to provide a mounting for the roller at a sufficient distancebelow the boom that the roller may be lowered into a trench by the boomfor substantially the entire diameter of the roller, and means on thetractor for raising and lowering the roller by the boom.

2. In combination with a tractor having supporting brackets carried bythe boom in front of the tractor, said brackets being on opposite sidesof the roller and disposed to enter a trench with the roller whenlowered into the sa-me, said brackets extending below the boom andprovidingk a mounting for thei roller at a suicient distance below theboom that the roller may be lowered into a trench by the boomsubstantially the entire diameter of the roller, and means on thetractor' for raising and lowering the roller by the boom.

3. In combination with a tractor having traction elements for supportingthe tractor, of a trench tamping roller in front of the tractor, a boomfulcrumed on the tractor to the rear of the roller, said boom extendinga5,

substantial distance beyond the front of the tractor, roller supportingmeans mounted on the boom in front of the tractor and connectingrtheroller to the boom, said means being disposed to enter the trench withthe roller when lowered into the same and extending below the boom toprovide a mounting for the roller at a sufiicient distance below theboom that the roller may be lowered into a.

trench by the boom for substantially the en` tire diameter of theroller, and means on the tractor for raising and lowering the roller bythe boom, said boom being cambered to increase the depth to which theroller may be lowered below the tractor.

v4. In combination with a tractor having traction elements forsupporting the tractor and a power unit on the tractor for propellingthe same through said elements, of a trench tamping roller in front ofthe tractor, a boom fulcrumed on the tractor to the rear of the roller,said boom extending a substantial distance beyond the front of thetractor, roller supporting means mounted on the boom in front of thetractor and connecting the roller to the boom, said means being disposedto enter the trench with the roller and extending below the boom toprovide a mounting for the roller at a sufficient distance below theboom that the roller may be lowered into a trench by the boom forsubstantially the entire diameter of the roller, a hoisting mechanism onthe tractor for raising and lowering the roller by the boom, and meansfor connecting the hoisting mechanism with the power unit of the tractorfor raising the roller through the power furnished by said unit.

5. In combination with a tractor having traction elements for supportingthe tractor and a power unit on the tractor for propelling the samethrough said elements, of a trench tamping roller in front of thetractor, a boom fulcrumed on the tractor to the rear of the roller, saidboom extending a substantial distance beyond `the yfront of the tractor,roller supporting means mounted on the boom in front of the tractor yandconnecting the roller to the boom, said means being disposed to enterthe trench with theroller and extending below the boom to providek amounting for the roller at a` suiicient distance below the boom that theroller may be lowered into a trench by the boomk for substantially theentire diameterv of the roller,

a hoisting mechanism on the tractor for raising and loweringthe rollerby the boom, a clutch device for connecting the hoisting mechanism withthe power unit of the tractor for raising the roller ythrough the powerfur- 'nished by said unit, and a brake device for controlling thedescent of the boom when disconnected frorn the power unit.

In testimony whereof wel affix our `signatures.

LOUIS E. DAUER. RUSSELL B. NORTH.

